


A Lust for Being Bad

by KaoriKnight



Category: Marvel (Movies), Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Humor, FrostIron - Freeform, M/M, Thorki - Freeform, Thunderfrost - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-09
Packaged: 2017-11-24 00:49:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/628387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaoriKnight/pseuds/KaoriKnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a year of solitary confinement, Loki is able to have access to the castle of Asgard, but nothing beyond. At the time of his release, Thor leaves to aid Tony Stark in Midgard, leaving Loki to contend with those who'd rather not contend with him. As a vengeance-fueled prank, Loki uses his shape-shifting abilities to seduce both Tony and Thor, in hopes that his sultry actions would drive the two apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I lay claim to nothing.
> 
> Warnings: This is more or less a smut-story, so yeah I've skipped a lot of "details" concerning how Loki gets back and forth between dimensions. Still, there will be swears, alcohol, drunkenness, etc.
> 
> I've posted this earlier this year on both FFN and DA gave up posting any further chapters on FFN, b/c that sight's pretty much finished as far as I'm concerned. I'm trying out this site now...XD here I go!

"Weren't you ever taught to put your toys away when you're done playing with them? Or in this case, it?"

Thor Odinson was kneeling at Tony Stark's feet. Fingers were still tangled in his golden tresses, holding him before the now-flaccid member that he had just been pleasuring. His eyes, blue and bright, inquisitively darted upward to meet deeper blue ones, glossed over from alcohol consumption. The realization that he had clearly been used struck him, and yet he found himself obeying, but not before snapping the waist-band of the over-priced boxer-shorts against bronzed flesh, stinging the skin.

The dark-haired man arched an eyebrow at the irritable gesture and then smiled; obviously the prideful god of thunder expected more, but was sadly made disappointed. "Wanna pick up my pants while you're at it, your godliness?" He asked, smiling superiorly.

Thor's eyes flashed dangerously at the comment, his face flushing quickly with anger and humiliation. "You…"

"Hold your praises," Tony interrupted, knowing well enough that Thor was nowhere close to complementing him, "I think your mouth's done enough good for the time being." He grinned once more, stroking the thick tresses his hand rested upon, as if the god at his feet were a mere house-pet.

Anger radiated through him once more, and for once Thor had no eloquently-spoken words of retaliation. How he could he become so easily manipulated as if he were another one of Tony's dates he brings home after a night of drinking. At this thought, he shot up, face-to-face with the source of his sudden wrath.

"By the gods I am an Asgardian, not a common tramp!" He spat, glaring furiously into Tony's mocking, unaffected gaze.

"I'm so happy that you've come to this sudden revelation, but it doesn't solve the problem of my pants around my ankles, when they should be at my waist, or the fact that my back is now digging uncomfortably against the side of this kitchen island."

Before he could act upon the impulse to turn the man known as Iron Man's head into his hammer's next victim, he tore himself away. He heard Tony start to chuckle. Without looking back, he stormed out of the dimly-lit kitchen, his long red cape barely catching in the door as it shut behind him.

He couldn't believe the sheer nerve of that self-absorbed mortal making a joke out of him. Everything had to be a joke when it came to Tony Stark, and it pissed him off. What made it worse was that he fell for it! What a fool he was!

His forward path through the lofty corridors led him to the enormous, futuristic helicopter landing that jutted from the side of Stark Tower. He inhaled the warm, thick night-time summer air; his ears were filled with the noises of the brightly-lit city far below him.

Gripping the banister, he wondered why he felt so compelled to wander through the building's living quarters. If he had just stayed in the room assigned to him, he wouldn't have gotten himself into such a mess. Unfortunately, thinking of the if's and could-have-been's didn't change the fact that the two of them had a moment, however one-sided it was.

The question of why still plagued him. He did not remember starting; only finishing. However, it was very clear that something was off about Tony. As he wracked his brain for some sort of an answer, he allowed his mind to go back. As if an outsider, he pictured himself quietly stepping into the kitchen, walking in on the half-hidden bent figure that was Tony, who happened to be rummaging around in the open refrigerator. His presence didn't go unnoticed.

_"Don't you gods have a bedtime?" Was the greeting Thor received._

_"I could ask you the same." He replied coolly, folding his arms over his armored chest, "But I wouldn't want to give you the ego-boost of calling you a god."_

_Tony laughed and finally shut the refrigerator; in his hands he held a plate with what seemed to be more or less of a quarter of cake with white icing and what looked like caramel running down the sides. "I think you've all made it quite clear that I don't need one of those." He let out another laugh and set the plate on the kitchen island. As per usual, a decanter and tumbler were within arms-reach, and Tony helped himself to a drink._

_"You want?" He offered, indicating the brown liquid in the intricate glass container; Thor shook his head, declining the offer. The dark-haired man merely shrugged and took a long draw from his own glass._

_"So what are you doing up this late, welcoming yourself to a private tour of my living quarters?" He asked, his eyes now back on the cake. He swiped a finger through the buttery icing._

_"I am not quite as dependent on sleep as you mortal humans are," Thor said haughtily, watching as Tony tasted the icing. The younger man showed no inclination of paying a bit of attention, though he was the one who asked._

_Tony gave a low hum, "This is so good," He said, running his finger through the icing again, this time getting a fair amount of caramel._

_The god's eyes rolled to the ceiling; of course it's got to be all about him. Ready to make his exit, he switched his gaze back to the room's original occupant, only to find that he had moved far closer. They were at arm's length of each other now._

_"Why don't you try some?"_

_"Try-?" But before Thor could question the motive behind the suggestion, a taste so sweet filled his mouth, it made his jaws ache. Tony had shoved his icing-coated finger in his mouth!_

_"What do you think you are you doing?" He demanded, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand._

_"Letting you try dulce de leche," Tony replied simply, "It's great, don't you agree?" When he didn't receive an answer immediately, his head cocked slightly, observing the outlandishly dressed man before him as if he were a mere curiosity. "What happened to all those pretty words you like to string together so eloquently? Have my charms left you speechless?" He leaned back enough to grab his drink up and down the rest at once._

_So many questions from a man who claims to know so much. Thor thought as Tony took a step toward him, smiling dashingly. He stood frozen on the spot, unable to reason why he was allowing this inappropriate and intrusive closeness between the two of them; why he dealt with the heavy scent of alcohol to take over his sense of smell; why Tony brushed against his lips and got away with it; or why a tongue had pushed into his mouth without so much as a bite in retaliation._

_Thor felt the faint, vibration from Tony humming lowly against his mouth; it was a very curious sensation. His muscles relaxed and he gingerly placed his hands against the other man's tightly-shirted lower back. His own tongue now pushed back on the other, intensifying the kiss. The deity inhaled sharply at the place his hand was moved to and pressed firmly against._

_"I know," Tony muttered, flexing himself, "It's quite impressive."_

_Thor began to roll his eyes when pliant lips were pressed urgently against his once more. The enthusiastic gesture didn't last long; Thor parted his mouth, letting his tongue dart out expectedly, only to find air. He looked quizzically in roguish dark eyes._

_"Have I mentioned you taste incredible?" The billionaire practically purred. "How about you get on your knees and find out how incredible I taste?" He glanced downward where the hand was pinned, then back into Thor's stunned expression._

_The god didn't give himself time to think; his eyes darted around before he sank to his knees…_

"Gods be damned," Thor snarled toward the breathtaking, multicolored view below him, shaking himself from the covetous thoughts of Tony's shallow breaths and occasional pleasured moans; the hand clenching his hair coaxing him further downward. The mental images caused his pulse to quicken, rushing blood to places it ought not to go.

"Aw, that's not nice, brother," Said a cool, silky voice from nearby, "To damn a god."

"Loki," Thor said, "What are you doing outside Asgard?"

"Please, dear Thor, you know that I cannot be contained. However, you reek of arousal and regret, and I had to find out what that was about." Loki moved forward, grabbing his brother's chin between his thumb and forefinger, "Don't lie to me." He demanded.

Thor stared into flashing green eyes, his naivety taking over. "I—It was Tony Stark…" He muttered, feeling foolish for divulging him in such personal information; he looked away. "He _seduced_ me."

"Look here," Loki whispered, locking eyes with the golden-haired god. He stared deeply; he seemed to be drinking in the shame Thor's eyes held. "Did he give you a reason?"

Thor felt uncomfortable under the unyielding gaze; he shook his head and whispered, "He did not. He…placed his lips upon mine." He would not tell about the icing, or what happened after the kiss. Loki did not need to know.

The god of mischief was rapt with attention, loving the agony. Thor seemed to notice this and pulled out of his brother's grasp. He turned away, disgusted with himself; he was a god, and yet here he was sniveling like some mawkish woman in front of Loki of all people. "I do not wish to speak about this any further."

Loki appeared before him, looking rather put-out, "Are you going to sit in stoic silence?" He asked, unable to drop the subject, "Will you not retaliate?"

"Perhaps," He finally answered, turning back toward the door. He did not see the broad smile stretched across his brother's face.

"You know," Loki called, "You used to be much more careless. When's the last time you've given into your desires?"

The question went unanswered as the tall, glass door swung shut behind the fleeting red cape.

=S=

Thor's sleep was restless as forbidden thoughts plagued his mind. He felt Tony's mouth molded against his once more, their tongues pushing and rolling. The odd combination of cake and alcohol conquered his sense of taste; sharp intakes of breath and hands sliding on flesh filled his ears. His body began to betray him as the mental image triggered the actual sensation of their exquisite kiss. He tried to tell himself that he was being used, that he wasn't meant to enjoy it, but he would have been a liar to admit that he didn't.

His eyes closed and a hand absently ghosted across his bare torso, causing gooseflesh to rise. He wanted to stop himself; to turn his mind off, but his awareness of how alone he was in the darkened bedroom was too much of a temptation. In that instant, his brother's final words started to make some sense. No one would know. No one could see his thoughts.

His hand slid further downward, feeling the ridges of his abdominal muscles hidden by sheets. He pictured Tony's mouth following the trail his hand made, the bristles of facial hair scratching against his bare flesh, a wet tongue dipping into his navel.

The god's breath hitched in his throat as the discomfort in his groin intensified. His fingertips brushed delicately against his warm, moistening tip and he bit down on his lip in anticipation. Another pulse of heat radiated through his core and he gripped himself. His mind's eye resumed its fantasy with Tony's mouth replacing his hand.

Thor's jaw dropped slightly, allowing heavier breaths to be taken. The pleasure he gave himself intensified. He stroked himself firmly, evenly, while picturing a dark head of hair slowly bobbing between his legs. A throaty moan escaped his lips; the toll of going as long as he has without having any sort of sexual encounter was definitely showing from how sensitive to his own touch he was.

His back arched upward and his hips began to slowly rock against his hand. His focus on his thoughts of Tony was fading, his mind becoming clouded with pure lust. He raised the back of his wrist to wipe his brow, but left it up there instead, too focused to do much else. Once more, his voice gave away his actions.

The god's heart was racing, pounding heavily against his chest. He felt alight with such sin, that he failed to realize the door opening then shutting quietly.

"My word, what a commotion you're causing!" A mockingly-astonished Loki said, quickly jerking Thor back to his senses. The startled god sat bolt upright, desperately gathering the sheets around his lower-half.

"What in Hel is the meaning of this?" Thor demanded, highly angry, but also grateful the darkness hid how red his face had to be. "What brings you in my presence once more?" He asked, slightly less edgy, but his teeth stayed clenched as he spoke.

"I never left the tower," Loki replied calmly, clearly amused at how shy Thor had become. "I sensed something going on with you, and as a caring sibling, I decided to find out what it was."

"Caring?" The thunder god spat, as if the word was pure venom in his mouth, "I would say meddlesome better suits."

"Do you really believe this to be true?" The dark-haired man asked in barely a whisper, moving forward, "I could easily delve further." He was leaning over the bed now, pulling the sheets away. "And you wouldn't object." His fingertips grazed over Thor's exposed nude form; bright, curious eyes taking every bit of him in.

"You want this," He continued, stating it as a fact. He slicked his tongue along his hand before grasping his brother, taking over. He leaned forward further and placed his icy lips upon Thor's, not wasting any time to push his tongue inside.

Thor leaned back onto his forearm, while his free hand dug into Loki's dark locks, pulling the slighter form closer. He felt insane with desire, drunk on the rush of hormones, and it was like he couldn't handle another moment. His free hand left the hair to steady the hand gripping him, holding it in place as his body shook from the intense wave of pleasure. Every aching throb brought on thick, warm fluid spilling onto his hand.

"By the gods…" He breathed out, body losing its tension. He finally removed his hand, becoming aware that he was, indeed, still very much alone. He lay on the bed, breathing deeply, arms thrown out to both sides of him. It really had been a long time; the powerful orgasm had spent him of what energy general fatigue didn't already rob him of.

One thing was certain, though; he not only had sinful thoughts of Tony Stark, he was also fantasizing about Loki, which couldn't be any more inappropriate. With the come-down effect of his high passed, he started to think twice about making up scenarios with two unlikely people. He felt so wretched for making himself vulnerable and giving in to such a dark urge.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki relishes in the success of the beginning of his little scheme. The next day, Thor confronts Tony about their encounter.

"That poor fool…" Loki smirked as he watched the last bit of Thor's cape disappear through the door. The night air seemed a little cooler, perched primly on the guardrail. Though the noises of the city far below were prevalent as ever, high above seemed quieter than it ought to be. 

His eyes lingered on the door, though he he was lost in his thoughts, relishing in what he had done. Strangely, he felt unsatisfied. Everything went according to plan flawlessly. Easily. Perhaps a little too easily; there was next to no challenge.

His brother was entirely too trusting; too easy to forgive. He knew Thor wasn't going to come after him on the balcony, but he couldn't help but be mildly surprised at how simple it was for the god to drop his guard in Tony's presence--without Mjolnir clenched in his fist, no less. 

Unfortunately for Odin's heir, who he thought he was enjoying a sudden tryst with was not Tony Stark. It was, indeed, the god of mischief himself under one of his clever, yet complicated illusions.

After a year's worth of confinement in Asgard, he finally slipped after his brother to Midgard once more with vengeance on his mind; not vengeance against the whole of the Avengers, and he'd avoid the lot if he could help, but his brother. His brother foolishly insisted that there would be help for him--Loki--back home, but after he was given a looser leash around the castle, he realized that no one would forgive him. No one would help. And that foolish dunder of a brother did little else to ease his suffering. 

Of course, he didn't possess the resources to cause nearly as much trouble as he did a year ago with the Chitauri. That, he realized, was a mistake he'd not make twice. He decided, instead to take things to a strictly personal level; to take a more passive-aggressive approach to his revenge.

That's where he got the bright idea to slip into the confines of the tower under the protection of his own magic. He stalked Tony to his personal lab and test room, and waited in secrecy until the genius engineer had drunk himself into a mild stupor. That's when he took action; as long as Tony stayed awake, Loki made sure that little glass of brown liquid stayed full. He could have easily used a poison, but those are easily traced. He was just fortunate that his victim couldn't survive the day without a vice. 

It didn't take much more, but eventually a drunken Tony had finally collapsed backward on the room's only couch. His legs were draped over the arm rest and his arms were thrown above his head. He did not rouse when his security system was shut down, or when a copy of him materialized spontaneously next to him. 

He walked out of the room and headed off in search of his brother. 

It didn't surprise him in the least how well he had convincingly pulled off Tony Stark's character; he was, after all, the master trickster, and his brother was an oaf who possessed little ability to see detail. The question at the time, however, was how long could he keep it up? But now that he's been able to infiltrate and manipulate so easily, he was going to continue having fun. And by the time the fun was over, Tony and Thor would no longer speak to each other, an Loki would have escaped back to Asgard just in time to see his shamed brother return home. 

This is what Loki wanted, though, to place yet another scar on the god that had outshone him so many times before; another scar that will add to the many that he himself had inflicted with his deep-seated rage. 

But all the scars he could cut into his older brother did not compare to the scars he bore. The hurt that he repressed within him achingly weighed his heavy heart further downward, threatening to sever it completely from his person until he was without one. 

\--S--

Thor stood straight-backed before a window, shifting his weight from leg to leg while blankly staring outward toward the sunlit cityscape. It was midday, and he had already been awake for a few hours. He assumed that Tony would be up by now, but unfortunately, the man in question was nowhere to be seen. The wait set his teeth on edge and made it hard to stay still. 

He had to talk to Tony; he had to find out the reason behind what had happened in the kitchen. However, he couldn't even explain why he so willingly submitted, especially given that they weren't very familiar with each other. Since the Manhattan incident, they've seldom contacted one another; Tony was busy obsessing over his work, he safely assumed, while he, himself, was busy with Loki. 

Loki. That little cretin was another issue he had to take care of. 

Since his adoptive brother's ultimate, inevitable, and down-right tragic loss, Thor was the only one who had shown Loki any sort of sympathy. Thor bore the responsibility of comforting the emotional wreck, keeping the god from going off the deep end; a fact Odin made no effort to hide his disgust over.

His despair was well-hidden until the two gods made it to Asgard, and that was where the reality of what just happened truly, honestly hit him. His grief was so great, that he started losing control of his actions, managing to strengthen Odin's anger toward him.  
If not for Thor's pleas, Loki probably wouldn't have lived much longer. Needless to say, the god of mischief proved to be most dangerous by his self, as well as with others, so he was confined in solitude, bound by the strongest of spells honed into thick links of chain, so as to prevent an escape or any illusions. 

All that time, Thor did his best to reason with his brother, begging him to become good once more. Trying to convince him that he had everything he needed in Asgard; that what had happened was unnecessary. He was Loki's only source of comfort, staying at his side to quell the screams of despair in any way he knew how. But even then, the stricken god did well to express his deepest loathing toward his brother. 

Thor was blamed for his brother's epic shortcoming, and even as Loki seemed to recover with time, the accusation never left his gaze. Of course, the god of thunder was lulled into a false sense of security. When he heard that Tony Stark was calling upon him for assistance, he trusted that his brother was stable enough to be left at home alone for at most a fortnight. 

He had only been here a few days before Loki conveniently showed up right after the incident. He should have been more surprised, mad, even. But he wasn't. Instead he gushed selfishly, weakly over his problems. Loki may have been horrible, but he did show eventual repentance. Thor couldn't hold anymore anger against his brother, though he did feel a rush of disappointment in him from time to time.

Unfortunately now, with everything having happened, there was nothing the god could do. Tearing his gaze from the window, he firmly decided that he was going to try to search for Tony his self instead of waiting any longer.

Trudging down the hall, his ears caught the sounds of heels clicking against the floor. He caught a glimpse of Tony's assistant, Virginia "Pepper" Potts, walking farther up ahead. A flat, black square cradled in her arms stuck out oddly, and he glimpsed a Styrofoam cup held in the opposite hand. She must have come to deliver something to her boss, which would give him access to his desired destination.

Thor quickened his own pace until he had caught up with the ginger-haired woman, who smiled pleasantly at him. "Good afternoon," She said warmly, "Do you need to see Tony as well?"

"Indeed, yes," Thor responded, "But I know not where he is. Perchance I might follow you?"

Pepper stifled a giggle at the overly-dramatized speech, "Of course." She said, smiling all too broadly. "I have to deliver some important information, as well as his usual morning pick-me-up." She held the hand holding the cup up a little higher in indication of her meaning. "According to a text—or, message he sent me earlier, todays—uhm—hangover is particularly vicious. Hopefully, he's alright."

Thor didn't say much, but gave a nervous glance toward the young woman and a half-hearted shrug. He's seen Pepper rushing around the tower in those painful-looking shoes often times during the days he's stayed there, but they've never had much contact with each other one-on-one.

One thing he was definitely able to pick up on was that she was like a life-line to Tony. He depended on her for nearly everything; without her, he'd basically lose his head if it weren't attached to his neck. But this woman had such goodness in her, he could sense that.

"You know," Pepper began as they neared the door to Tony's workshop, "I've seen some incredible things working for Mr. Stark, but I never imagined I'd personally meet someone I've only read about in fairy tales." 

Thor blinked, "Fairy tales?"

"Oh, of course I didn't mean to suggest your epics were mere children's tales," Pepper quickly recovered, stopping before the door to Tony's room. "I meant to say legends." The door clicked quietly, indicating that they had been granted entrance. The fair-faced woman glanced upward toward Thor before she stepped first through the threshold, "Not much of a talker, are you?"

"If it is not important to say, why waste breath?" The god responded rhetorically, following suit into the room.

In no time, Pepper was at Tony's side at the couch that he slumped in, handing him the cup she held. He looked a bit rough; drawn, tired and paler. Thor had seen that look before, and knew it was what the mortals called a "hangover." It seemed that Tony was was so fixated on getting rehydrated that he hadn't acknowledged Thor yet.

"Thanks, Pepper, you're a life saver," Tony sighed gratefully, "Although, I feel like a ton of bricks has been dropped on me." He set his cup aside and leaning back all the way against the couch.

"I'm sure you do," Pepper responded soothingly, laying the folder she held next to her boss, "I need you to look at these sometime today, but please don't leave it for the last second."

After a few minutes, Pepper made to leave. It was then that Thor found Tony's eyes on him; he had finally been noticed. He sat back straight with a puzzled expression, "How the hell did you sneak in here?" He asked.

"I let him in when I walked in," Pepper answered quickly, "We met in the hall, and he said he needed to speak with you."

Tony's attention was back on Thor, "Why didn't you just speak up?" He probed, standing up, "Cat got your tongue? Creep…"

"I do not see what this _cat_ would have to do with…" The god grumbled, clearly missing the sarcasm.

"I'm going now," Pepper announced above the two other's voices, "Please try to play nicely." She smiled before turning to leave.

Without another word, Tony walked over to where his hologram computers stood. He started pressing glowing keys at what looked like random, bringing up various complicated pictures and charts. Unfortunately, what he had seen caused his brow to crease in frustration. Something was up with his system, Thor could see that, and it seemed that Tony couldn't figure out right-off what it was. Why in the world did he have to drink so much? He was sure that he would have had the issue figured out by now. 

Once in a while, however, he'd steal a glance at the ever-silent god of thunder, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"Seriously, Jupiter, what's with the melodrama?" Tony asked after his fourth glance.

"Do not confuse me with that thinly-imagined pretend god," Thor said bitingly.

Tony raised an eyebrow at the comment, "Thinly-imagined, huh?" He scoffed, "Whatever you say. Damn, I never realized you could get so sulky. You're usually more cheerful."

The god exhaled loudly. Tired of playing games, he strode over to where Tony stood. He had to get to the bottom of last night, after all. "Tell me true, Tony..." He began slowly, quietly, but gaining Tony's full attention all the same. Tact was never his strong point, and he usually took to speaking his mind, but this situation was horribly awkward and needed to be carefully worded, to the best of his abilities at least.

The man in question's dancing fingers stopped executing commands on the hologram computer and his eyes were now fixed on the curiously nervous man before him. "Tell you true…what?" He asked just as slowly. 

He stepped away from the glowing screen and folded his arms across his chest, bringing Thor's attention to the arc reactor glowing dully under his rumpled shirt. Tony could tell that something was seriously troubling the god and he was intrigued to know what it was. The only thing he could safely assume was homesickness. 

Shifting his feet slightly, Thor opened his mouth to speak once more. "Do you have any recollection of…?" His words were failing him. This never happened. And now his face was feeling hot and prickly. 

"Of what? Use your words like a grown boy, it's not that hard!" Tony demanded, voice thick with impatience. 

"…last night?"

The word was barely a whisper, but Thor knew Tony had heard it clearly. "What happened?" Tony asked seriously, "I was not made aware that something had gone wrong. Does it have to do with why JARVIS is apparently down?" 

"I am not sure..." Thor said delicately, casting his eyes downward momentarily. "It was not…wrong, though. After all, neither of us had any objections."

The realization of what the blonde brute had said dawned on Tony, and for a moment he was quite stunned. "U-us?" He stammered, "Wait, you aren't saying...that you and I..."

Thor nodded his head, unable to look at Tony from the embarrassment. "I am afraid so." He said grimly. 

Tony tittered nervously. "Thor, unless you came in here while I was sleeping and took advantage of me, I highly doubt we had any sort of encounter. I was drunk, but I think I would remember... _that_."

"So you do not remember?" Thor asked, puzzled. His memory was vivid, clear as day. The god shook the thoughts from his head, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Tony.

"I don't remember anything." Tony responded, "Because there's nothing to remember. I'll give it to you, now, you're fit...and maybe if you weren't my teammate, but I just don't see myself coaxing you onto my bed--couch--thing." He waved vaguely at the couch he had slept on. "Whatever happened had to have been in some weird dream, and honestly I don't know if I should be worried or flattered that you're having wet dreams of me.

Thor knew he was flushing hard now. Tony had to have been too addled to remember; there was no way their encounter had been a dream. He had to make Tony remember somehow. 

Out of the gloom of his thoughts, Thor heard Tony sigh heavily. He looked up to find him standing closer and locking eyes with his. "You really believe this is true, don't you?" Tony asked. "If it would make you feel better, I'll let you lay one on me, but nothing more than that.

Thor looked a bit taken at the suggestion. "Lay what on you?"

"A kiss!" The dark-haired man said, rolling his eyes. "If what you're saying is true, then maybe it will trigger some repressed memory."

"Then I'll accept, for the sake of answers."

"Or just putting this ridiculousness behind us, at least."

The space between them slowly closed. The air was thick with nervous tension. "God, I can't believe I'm doing this." Tony muttered.

Thor felt Tony's hand slip around his neck, pulling him downward. Their lips were barely touching and dual sets of blue eyes stared searchingly into one another's. Thor tipped the shorter man's chin gently with his fingers, closing up the minuscule space between them.

The thunder god's memories of the previous night flooded his brain as he allowed the kiss to deepen. But as soon as he pulled Tony tighter to him, the kiss was broken. 

"I expected a quick peck, not a full-blown make-out session," Tony said, wiggling out of the arms that held him. "Sorry, though, I don't remember anything."

"It seems there's been some mistake." Thor responded, thoroughly confused and slightly ashamed. 

However, Tony was the exact opposite. "Cheer up, Pikachu." He said, heading back over to his computer, "For what it's worth, you're not at all a bad kisser. Let's just hope for your sake, this isn't some sick trick."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Thor tries to sleep, he recollects the night he and Loki had a falling-out. Meanwhile, Loki's plans are not over yet.

That night, Thor had quite a difficult time getting to sleep. His mind was racing, analyzing the peculiar situation; particularly, his confrontation with Tony. Tony's blatant ignorance to what had happened between them about 24 hours earlier was suspicious enough, but the kiss they shared in order to drudge up any memory proved to be a failed attempt. 

The kiss was awkward, that much was certain. Tony's reluctance was all too obvious, and the passion was nonexistent. Thor had to wonder if he should have just kept silent, or at least said something later when his host's hangover subsided and the issues with the computer system were repaired.

Instead of worrying himself further, he decided to amuse himself by figuring out how to operate this so-called "tee-vee" that had been supplied for him in the room he was designated to sleep in. He found it curious how much humans seemed to love absorbing all of their attention and hours of their time in such an unassuming object, and he finally had to experience for himself what the hype was all about, after ignoring its presence so far during his stay at Stark Tower.

Imitating what he had seen Tony do, he held the control device out before him, perhaps with a bit too much gusto and blindly pressed various buttons (the room was still dark) until he reached the big, red button in the top corner labeled "power". The flat, black square came to life, casting a soft light into the room. He felt such excitement over his minuscule achievement that he failed to notice that company had joined him on the bed.

Thor leaned back against his pillows, intrigued by the brightly-colored moving pictures on the screen. The characters were dramatized in appearance and their voices were unlike any he had heard in real life, as if they were made ridiculous on purpose. So enwrapped he was with his program, that he missed the tiny cough to his right. Only when the room suddenly went dark, as the black square had shut off without him doing anything had Thor realized that someone else was in the room with him.

"Couldn't you have chosen a less obvious way to dumb yourself to human-level?" Said the stranger with a note of condescension mingled with only slight amusement.

"Loki?" He gasped, bolting upright, eyes wide in surprise at the figure sitting next to him with the look of utmost annoyance on his face. "How did you get in here?"

"Honestly?" The Loki responded testily, "I've been in here with you this whole time."

"You can go back to being invisible, then." Thor replied huffily, irritated at the interruption, "Your known presence is unwelcome presently."

"Oh, most beloved brother," Loki crooned, losing the edge to his tone, thin lips forming a simper, "Surely you do not mean this, as I have come to share words with you. And what happened to that charmingly coy act of yours from earlier today? It was simply adorable."

The blonde's face contorted in anger, visible by the light from the window. "Do not mock me!" He hissed through gritted teeth, "I do not play coy and I know not what you speak of. Explain yourself, if you value your head attached to your neck." Thor's eyes flashed dangerously. Still, Loki continued to smirk. "Find your tongue!" He bellowed, grabbing the smaller man's upper arms roughly, shaking him.

"Softly, Thor," Loki murmured, not fighting the bruising grip that held him, "You wouldn't want to rouse your host with your thoughtless screaming, would you?"

Thor glared resentfully into insolent eyes, and then finally loosened his hold. Still, his muscles remained tense, ready to attack, if need be. 

"I've seen this man's technology, and it is great…by mortal standards. But compared to the magic of a god… well, let's just say that his defenses were easily breached."

"You've witnessed all of this madness first-hand, then?"

"That is what you have deduced after what I have told you? You really are daft."  
Once more, Thor fought to maintain his calm, but it was proving harder to do. "All I understand from what you've told me is that you have been sneaking around here, causing annoyances behind Tony's back like a coward. If this is not the only reason you are trespassing here where you are not welcome, then speak your true purpose clearly, or leave me in peace."

"It isn't hard to figure out," Loki muttered, bringing a hand to his brother's face. "I will give you a hint, though." His hand slid to the back of Thor's neck, pulling him forward until their lips touched.

Thor's body seized up at the sudden gesture and he pushed his brother off of him, "What sort of mind game is this supposed to be?" He hissed, outraged by such boldness.

Loki made a noise of impatience, "You shy away from my touch as if you've never felt it before." He said, clearly miffed, "Do you not recall our first encounter? Or our last?" He reached out to touch Thor's face again, but Thor seized his wrists, gripping tightly.

"I recall everything," Thor growled, "Especially our last, when you made it perfectly plain that you hated me." He threw down Loki's wrists away from him, as if repulsed by them, "I can tolerate only so much of your company, but your touch is especially unwanted. I have forgiven you, brother, and I do love you, but I do not forget so easily. I have done you the greatest favor, and you have done a poor job of showing gratitude. Do not think me fool enough to fall for your manipulative little tricks." 

Thor's gaze hardened, as if to affirm his notion as unwavering, but the green eyes he bore into only flashed insolently.

Loki scoffed and stood up, the bed groaning slightly from relief of his added weight, but his sullen expression was quickly masked by a look of smugness. His thin lips stretched into a wide smile, "I'll let you continue to believe that," He stated with a tone of arrogance. He paused for a moment, gazing at the scowling Thor thoughtfully before brusquely stepping toward the door. His hand rested on the doorknob for a second before saying, "I must say, though, that my actions are more transparent than you think. Shame you can't see that." He twisted the knob, ignoring Thor's urgent inquiry of the meaning of his statement and let himself out of the room.

Thor glared at the door Loki had just exited from angrily, as if it were at fault for all of his misfortune. He longed to storm after his brother and launch him bodily out of the nearest window, but he repressed the temptation. He remembered an instant when Tony was frustrated with an invention, and Pepper suggested counting to ten, which seemed to work for Tony, so perhaps the trick would work for him.

"One…" He counted aloud through gritted teeth; Loki's smirking face swimming before his mind's eye. 

"Two…" His clenched fists slowly started to unfurl. By the time he had counted to eight, he had laid back once more against the pillows, and his tone held more of an edge of defeat rather than anger. 

"Nine…" He muttered, feeling weary as the last of his anger ebbed away. 

"Ten." The last number came as a whisper. The idea of merely counting to calm seemed so absurd, but he had to admit that it had done the trick of calming him mostly, so that he could not assess the situation with some sort of rationality. 

He thought of Loki's parting words, hearing them in his head. He couldn't think of what they meant, however. Did the extent of Loki's little joke go further than he thought? He was starting to think so…but how? Thinking about such a thing seemed to be quite a chore, though, now that he was beginning to feel exhaustion creep on him.

One thing he did have to wonder, though, was why Loki suddenly wanted his affection. The last time that he—Thor—had tried to get close to his brother, was ill met. That day stood out vividly in his memory, for it was a few days before he left for Midgard, and Loki was feeling especially vexed, even after all the progress he had made recovering from his great defeat after the Manhattan incident.

Thor soon found himself remembering that day. He was just going to pay his brother a surprise visit with his favored melomel mead in his enchantment-locked room when all his troubles started unraveling once more…

_Thor chuckled as he broke apart from his group of friends, Sif, Volstaag, Hogun, and Fandral; Volstaag had just finished recounting a rather amusing story that concerned battle and food all at the same time. He shook his head at his friends' insatiable appetite and bloodlust and made his way jauntily down the drafty corridors to his brother's holding room, a quite large bottle of mead swinging in one of his hands._

_As he made his way, he was aware of just how alone he was. No one ever wanted to come down this hall anymore, knowing that Loki was being held in one of its many rooms. Though Loki had shown tremendous progress over the course of about a year, no one trusted him. He had shown Asgard a great treachery by joining the Chitauri. Though Thor saw it in his heart to look past this, he was the only one who did. Even their mother and father found it hard to even mention his name, much less come visit him. The hurt they felt ran deeply in their hearts._

_His footsteps reverberated against the walls and high, arched ceiling, but throbbing moans, dulled by a closed door were what caught his attention. Of course, he sped down the hall, sensing his brother's obvious distress. Surely he hadn't hurt himself, or had been hurt by someone else. If he had, the perpetrator would surely pay._

_Thor threw the door open and cried aloud, "Loki, do not fret! Your brother's here! Everything will soon be set—"_

_CRASH!_

_Thor had barely a split second to dodge a metal jug that had just been launched in his direction as soon as his presence was made known. Strong-smelling, purple-red wine splashed against the walls, and dribbled down to the flagged stone floor; the jug fell with a loud, echoed clang._

_"Loki! What in all the hells is the reason for this outrage?!" He demanded, wide-eyed and thoroughly shocked by this outlandish behavior his brother hadn't exhibited for quite some time, now._

_"GO AWAY!" Loki screamed, sending a carved wooden goblet his brother's way, wine flying out from its interior. Thor, however, was better prepared and deftly caught the cup in his free hand. The throw seemed to be too much for Loki, throwing him off-balance, and causing him to stumble dangerously forward._

_Thor shut the door behind him, setting the mead he had almost regretted bringing on the table next to the door, knowing full and well what was wrong now: Loki was clearly drunk off of too much wine on an empty stomach; the food that had been delivered to him earlier was left untouched upon the table where it had been left earlier. Thor sighed mentally, knowing that this was a horrible combination; Loki wasn't at all intolerable while drinking, except when he doesn't eat prior to. Something had to have been troubling him to cause this kind of self-abuse to happen._

_"I said for you to leave!" Loki demanded, advancing upon his brother in an aggressive, yet deliberate fashion. With all poise and dignity cast aside, his usually well-coiffed hair completely disheveled and his tear-streaked face contorted with unmistakable fury, Loki was a complete mess. He swung wildly at Thor, attempting to strike any part of him he could reach, yet missed every time._

_"You need to lie down," Thor said firmly, taking hold of his brother's flailing arms, pinning them to his side, to which Loki began to struggle._

_"UNHAND ME!" He cried, vainly trying to pull himself from Thor's impossibly strong grip. He screamed aloud in frustration, tears leaking from his eyes._

_"You have had too much to drink, brother," The older man grunted, all but shoving Loki onto his bed, but Loki wasn't having it. He shot up quickly and scrambled off of the bed, only to be tossed back down, as if he were nothing more than a ragdoll. "You know escape is impossible, whether the door is opened for you or not, so lie_ down! __

_"Why are you doing this to me?!" Loki sobbed as Thor pinned him onto the bed, bending his arm behind his back; he gasped and cried out as it was jammed painfully upward. He kicked his feet, hitting Thor's side with his heels._

_"I will not release you until you can act rationally." The older brother said firmly, ignoring the younger's weak attempts to harm him._

_"Let…me…go…" Loki moaned, body tensing and cramping from his futile attempts to wriggle free. His feet soon stopped their violent act and he stopped moving altogether._

_"Are you finished, then?"_

_Thor received no response, so he released his brother from the vice grip that held him and turned him onto his back. There he was met with a look of only the deepest loathing; a look that he saved only for when he was hurt deeply._

_"You…you should have left me alone." Loki snarled, glowering. He turned on his side and raised himself on one elbow, head swimming and keeping him from sitting up properly._

_"To what end?" Thor asked, trying to keep his tone unsympathetic, so as to not feed his younger brother's melodrama further. "What brought on this madness? You were doing so well before…"_

_Loki's eyes flashed dangerously, no longer glistening with tears, but still red and swollen. "What do you want me to say?" He asked thickly, sniffing and glaring blurrily. "Do you honestly believe that being locked up alone, with only you and my thoughts as company? How can you possibly think…?" He paused, shutting his eyes tight to fight the emotions threatening to boil over once more, "That I could truly be alright under the present circumstances that you have forced me into?" His eyes turned downward and he pursed his lips, "I hate that you feel as if you have control over my life." He muttered._

_Thor, so previously rapt with attention let out an audible sigh. He had gone through this so many times before with Loki that his sympathy had long since worn off. He was certain Loki was in a fix only because he wasn't center of attention. Being a natural trouble-maker, he loved getting a rise out of others, and when he couldn't have his way, he became almost inconsolable. "You are very well aware as to why that is, Loki." He said coolly, "I am not going to repeat what you have been told countless times. You are acting no less like a spoiled child." His expression softened as Loki continued to keep his eyes downcast. He cupped his brother's chin, turning the sullen face upward. "Perhaps getting yourself cleaned up would improve your, ah, present state."_

_"I do not need your patronization," Loki rumbled, pulling away from his brother's touch._

_Thor ignored Loki's clear signal that he wanted to be left alone once more long enough to tell him he'd be back with fresh meal._

_"Perchance, we could share the melomel mead I had brought for you once you're feeling well again…you handle that a lot better than this common, bitter wine you've been drinking..."_

Thor turned onto his side as a curious thought had hit him, breaking his recollection of the sad memory. Loki, when he had visited a short while ago, seemed rather hurt over being denied his—Thor's—affection, when he, himself, had done the same thing far more times; this revelation caused the god a bit of an annoyance. What made the situation even more conflicting for Thor were Loki's actions upon his return to the room an hour later.

While Loki usually maintained his composure with a certain grace and dignity, he was, of course prone to dramatics. Thor, who was used to this absolute behavior, usually knew just what to do quell his theatrical brother, which was usually to humor him. This time, however, nothing seemed to work. 

He began remembering what had happened after he returned the second time, wondering if what transpired then had any correlation to Loki's present actions…

_Thor reentered the room, arms laden with a dangerously-teetering expanse of dishes, each one's contents a different favored delicacy of Loki's (as well as quite a bit of bread, so as to slow the body's absorption of alcohol), and his generous heart filled with hopes to appease his brother and brighten each of their spirits._

_"There you are, dear brother!" Thor announced after he had carefully laid each massive plate upon the heavy dark wood table that had previously held Loki's uneaten portion from earlier. He swelled importantly, feeling as though he had outdone himself, indeed. "You can give gratitude at you leisure." He smiled, clearly eager for a sooner thank-you, than a later one._

_Loki merely looked on in a rather haughtily disgruntled fashion, still feeling the mind-numbing effects of the wine consumed earlier, but at least able to sit up straight._

_Thor shuffled a bit uncomfortably, not quite enjoying the uncomfortable silence. Loki seemed to be making it his goal to cause as much awkwardness as possible, more likely than not to be rid of his present guest._

_"You are looking much better," Thor observed, hoping the compliment would help alleviate the tension somewhat. It wasn't that he was lying, because it was clear that Loki had taken his brother's advice and bathed. He was redressed in more comfortable garments than his usual strappy leather armor, and his hair was combed back out of his eyes. However, his fair skin was still quite sallow, and his eyes were shadowed._

_Loki's silence still prevailed, so Thor decided to take a more assertive approach. He chose a roll of bread, still warm from the oven, joined Loki on the bed and held it out to him. "You cannot go hungry forever." He said softly._

_Upon catching the tantalizing scent of the freshly-baked bread, Loki realized just how starved he really was. Saliva flooded his mouth, but he maintained self-control. He tore a small piece of the edge and tried not to let his gratification show as he chewed, because, he wanted Thor to still worry. He wanted Thor to think he was upset at him. He liked knowing that his brother couldn't simply pacify him with a few acts of affection; he enjoyed keeping him guessing._

_Thor was pleased that his brother managed to force something down and offered him more, this time with the mead he had brought earlier. Eventually, Loki's sickly appearance ebbed away, and he seemed a bit more alert._

_"Loki," He began once the man in question had finally finished, "I spoke with Father earlier."_

_Loki glanced up at his brother over the rim of his cup, pausing briefly before lowering it. "And I should care, because?" He asked, licking the sweet alcohol from his top lip._

_The blonde smiled excitedly. "I have convinced him to remove the enchantments, so you can have freedom within the castle once more!" He said, "Does this please you?"_

_"Why, yes, Thor!" Loki said waspishly, "It pleases me to have the freedom to present myself around others who would sooner skirt around my presence than enjoy it!"_

_"But if you just give them time to see that you have repented…"_

_"NO!" Loki cried, "No…do you not see, Thor? Do you not see that I have been changed? That no one—not even Mother and Father—would ever see me in the same light? I have caused too much damage! A-and now that you have dragged me back here, you have succeeded in making it worse!"_

_"Oh, Loki…" Thor murmured, his tone apologetic. Taking his brother's face into his hands, he said, "Is there nothing I can do?" At this, he witnessed the corners of Loki's mouth tug upward slightly, but his eyes maintained their dead, unfeeling sort of look. "What is it?" He asked, puzzled._

_Clearly evading answering the question, Loki leaned forward and placed his lips upon Thor's. He allowed the passionless kiss to linger before pulling with an expression of unreadable indifference._

_The thunder god blinked dazedly. "L-Loki, if your intentions are less than…pure…do you think that we should do this given how upset you have been?—N-not that I wish to insult you." Thor added hastily, feeling his face grow hot. His eyes darted away, unsure if lust was even the right interpretation of his brother's random gesture._

_"My intentions are almost always less than pure as of late," Loki muttered, "You know this to be true, brother. You cannot deny that you have not enjoyed the benefits. Even if you did deny," His tone thusly dropped to a low purr, "I can easily tell that your body would presently beg otherwise."_

_Thor felt his brother press against him once more, this time kissing more fervently. He was the slightest bit put-off by the indiscriminate change in Loki, wondering what could be going on in that mind of his. While he didn't mind spontaneity at all, there was usually a bit more mood-setting involved._

_"But, wait—Loki—Wait," Thor breathed as he felt Loki's hands begin to fumble and with the clasps and straps of his bulky armor, knowing how to unhook and untie everything without having to look, as they've done this so many times before. "Loki," He repeated more firmly this time, finally gaining his brother's attention, "Is your heart truly in this? My heart clenches at the thought that you may be doing this unwillingly."_

_Loki merely glared irritably in response, and Thor took the hint to stop talking at once. Confused as he was, he didn't want to deny his brother, especially considering how delicate the situation was in the first place. Needless to say, it didn't take long until clothes were carelessly tossed aside and they had become a tangle of arms and legs. Their lips were pressed firmly together, as they tasted the sweet, fruity mead that lingered in one another's mouths, making breathing increasingly difficult._

_Soothingly urging Loki to relax, Thor fitted himself within his brother. He gazed down upon the face of the man below him, but Loki kept his eyes squeezed shut, pained tears threatening to spill from their corners. Still, under Thor's carnal touch, the body writhed, back arcing, but the younger god remained unreachable emotionally. Thor whispered his unyielding affection for his treasured brother, attempting yet again to prove his selfless intentions, but nails raked painfully down his back, causing the skin to smart; heels were then dug sharply into the small of his back at his impassioned admission of love._

_Frustrated at his failed attempts to reach his distant brother, Thor sought out Loki's lips to relay the message that way. Loki, however returned the gesture bruisingly, gripping Thor's blonde tresses roughly. It was clear that any try at compassion was going to be cruelly rejected, but Thor had no intention of stopping what he had started._

_Soon, breathless and weak, both glistening with perspiration, Thor's spent body was pushed unceremoniously from on top of his brother's, unhooking the legs from around the bends of his arms. Wiping his moistened brow, Thor took a final jab at sharing kind words with his brother. "Loki, that was—" But as he turned his attention to Loki, he was met with a back turned toward him. He reached out to lay his hands upon the heat-flushed skin, pulling the body close to his._

_"I wish for you to leave me, Thor." Loki said in a quiet, deadpan tone._

_"Why?" Thor asked, his anger starting to rise. Once more, he was met with silence, and as he tried to push Loki onto his back, in order to look into his face, Loki tensed his body so that it remained in its current position._

_"Have it your way, then." He said heatedly, knowing that his words fell on deaf ears. "You can stay in here for all eternity, for all it matters to me. The enchantments will still be lifted, if you ever decide to man up and face those you've betrayed." He gathered his clothes and dressed in silence, then left his brother in the solitude he so obviously craved…_

As sleep fell upon Thor, the last thing he remembered was that it was not long after he left his brother that he requested he visited Midgard. He was initially going to visit the friends he made in New Mexico, but decided instead to seek out Tony Stark, who he had fought together with and had taken a liking to, claiming that his intentions were to become knowledgeable in the technology made exclusively for the Avengers team, as well as to offer any assistance he can in any in the mean-time. His true intentions, obviously, were to separate himself from any lingering thoughts of Loki. 

While the god of thunder slept, he was unaware that Loki was not through with him; that Loki still had an agenda of his own. The god of mischief chuckled cruelly as he leaned against Thor's closed door. He couldn't believe how easy everything was for him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Thor's sound asleep, Loki's up to no good. His plans for revenge lead him to Tony and the impulsive consumption of Midgardian spirits--because, what's the worst that could happen?

Loki waited a few minutes to ensure his brother wouldn't come after him. He didn't hear a sound, so he safely assumed that Thor had fallen asleep. He then set off down the hall. He knew that the reminder of their last encounter together would bring up his brother's ill attitude toward him, but that still didn't stop him from hoping Thor would be more receptive toward him. Why he bore this inkling of hope, he didn't quite care to figure out at the moment. Right now, he had another job to do, and it concerned Tony Stark. 

When he had found out that Thor left for Midgard a few days after the incident in his room, he wasn't at all happy. He actually had considered the possibility of gaining his brother's favor again, thereby working on repairing his relationship with the other Asgardians. He knew he couldn't achieve this great task completely alone; he had to have his brother's support, and the fool had to leave him to face the derision of his fellows alone.

With his own resentment mounting inside him, he knew he had to get revenge for this betrayal. That's when he decided that day that he would find Thor wherever he was in Midgard and make him pay. He would, of course take advantage of his freedom around the castle, and even if his freedom went beyond the confines of the castle, he knew better than to even think he'd have access to the Bifrost.

To his great fortune, the castle was more extensive than most people thought, and Loki was confident that he possessed knowledge of its every secret; a knowledge that he was so sure surpassed even his brother's, as Thor never took the time to appreciate the castle, for he was too busy with his ambitious endeavors for glory. Of course Loki didn't mind that he was one of the rare few who knew the secrets of the castle, for this helped him pull some of his most clever pranks.

He was going to unlock one of the ancient, now-forgotten, gateways to Midgard, thereby setting into motion one of his most risky pranks that, if all went well, only he and his brother would be made aware of. He had his magical genius, now all he needed was time and privacy from his peers, which was easy to do, considering nearly everyone avoided him.

Within a few weeks' time, he was finally able to open the portal successfully and then close it off behind him, just as a precaution against the unlikely event that the portal was discovered. To further guarantee his absence went unnoticed; he left behind an illusion of himself to lurk around his bedroom and the adjoining corridor. He doubted that he'd be missed. The tricky part, now, was entering Midgard without being detected by those pesky SHIELD agents. This took a bit of assumption on his part, but he was certain that they couldn't keep track of every anomaly that opened on earth, especially if he had closed it just in time. So, taking the form of a mere shadow, which would soon be the form he assumed while sneaking around Stark Tower, he stole-away onto his desired realm completely undetected.

But, to Loki's exultation, he managed to pull it off, and he soon found out that Thor was hanging around with Tony Stark. This gave Loki mingled feelings of worry and relief; relief that he didn't have to deal with that wretched Jane Foster, who Loki argued repeatedly that he was not jealous of; and worry because with that suit, Tony is a deadly threat. One thing Loki realized, however, during the mayhem in Manhattan, was that Tony relied almost completely on his computers; get rid of the computers' functions, and Tony was just another harmless human.

With Tony's defenses down, and with the man being too proud to admit that his technology had failed him, Loki could freely carry out his devious plans of tearing apart the friendship of his brother and the man in question. 

As he made his way to the last place he had seen Tony, before he visited Thor, which was the test lab, he used his magic to once again change his appearance. His clothes changed to human-style casualwear as his entire body started to fill out more; his hair lightened and lengthened until curtains of enviously thick, hay-colored waves framed his now strong-jawed, bristled face. 

As he passed a window, he glanced at his reflection and grinned amusedly. The man who stared back at Loki through the glass looked so eerily perfect, that Loki had to take the moment to marvel at his handiwork. The tanned, weather-worn skin tone was now flawlessly even; all relics of past battles, scars, and shallow lines around the eyes and mouth had been smoothed over. 

Knowing that Tony was a shallow, visual man—as he himself had successfully pulled off the genius' persona a little more than a day ago—Loki had altered his brother's image on purpose to further gain the man's favor. He wanted the chances of Tony denying him to be slim as possible, and with the aid of Tony's preferred vice, all should go well.

As luck would have it, Loki found Tony where he last saw him. However, as Loki peered through the glass doors, Tony did not look at all happy as he stood before his holographic computers, obviously trying yet again to get them to function. The glowing screens occasionally blurred and hissed statically, causing the crease between its owner's brows to deepen. Muttering darkly, Tony stepped away from the noncompliant device and chose to pour another drink for himself.

Loki could have knocked, of course, but he preferred to go for shock for shock's sake. Taking the form of a shadow, he molded into the floor and under the door, where he materialized on the other side as Thor once again. He quietly waited a few moments, observing the room's original occupant from a corner, until he was noticed, but just like with Thor earlier, Loki went unnoticed.

"Greetings, Tony." He said quietly in his brother's low growl.

Tony gave a start, slopping alcohol down his chin and coughing. "T-Thor!" he choked, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "How in the hell did you get in here?" He stared at the man leaning against the wall at the far end of the room, looking nonplussed.  
"Why, through the door of course," Loki lied with a laugh that didn't quite suit the deep, resonating voice that belonged to Thor. He pushed himself by the shoulder from the wall and stepped toward the computers.

"Damn," Tony swore under his breath, "So the locks are fried, too, eh?" 

"I do hope this isn't a bad time," Loki said, though his deepened tone was anything but sincere; in fact, it sounded more like a sneer. He took pleasure knowing that he had caused such stress in Tony already, and was soon to bring more.

Tony made a noise of disdain, glaring at the computer, seemingly unaware of the attitude shift of who he thought was Thor. "Nah, you're good." He sighed, "It's this stupid system!" He said with sudden savageness, fueled by mingled alcohol and irritation. "I've never been faced with an issue I couldn't fix, and yet here it is," He threw his hands out at the computer, "—and then Pepper! She's all 'Oh, Tony, I'm in over my head with _your_ neglected work!'" He cried, crudely imitating his best friend's voice, "'You should have told me about your system failure sooner! I'll come over in the morning to help you!'" He rolled his eyes to Loki, who was eyeing the computers, eyes twinkling curiously, "That's total bullshit, right?"

Loki blinked, "Hm? Oh, of course," He grinned toothily to cover up the fact that he hadn't at all been listening, "Absolutely unfair." 

"Yeah," Tony said, contemplating the decanter of alcohol, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly, "I just hope to get it fixed soon…I know you wanted to learn about some of the technology and what have you…" He poured golden-brown liquid into two small glasses, handing one to Loki as he joined the god by the computers.

"My thanks," Loki muttered, raising his glass slightly and inclining his head before bringing the drink to his lips, draining its contents without so much as a wince.

"Jesus…I don't see how you can do that," Tony shuddered, "That's some of my strongest stuff!"

"This? You can't be serious," The blonde laughed haughtily, "When one is used to the fine quality and strength of Asgardian drink, everything else pales in comparison. I dread thinking what its effects would be on a mere mortal."

"Is that so?" The dark-haired man commented skeptically, pouring the pair of them another drink, thus draining the decanter of its contents.

"Naturally," Loki answered loftily, "We have all sorts of exquisite meads, some even enchanted, but all brewed by hand with the utmost care—and the elven wines imported from Alfheim, they never spoil…" He gave a soft sigh, "Ah, but now I am becoming sentimental…" And it was true; talk of the pleasures he had often taken for granted in Asgard—pleasures he shared with his brother—caused a stir in his chest that he found quite uncomfortable. 

A cool glass pressing into his hand woke him from his reverie.

"I don't blame you for missing home," Tony said with a note of sympathy in his voice, "I know that things are very different here than there, at least from what you've told me about your realm."

"Oh, yes, very different…" Loki's tone had a bitter note to it; he was losing grip on his task with talk of home, and he needed to get back on track. He downed the second glass as quickly as the first.

The genius smiled suddenly, "Well, from my point of view, it all sounds strangely interesting. It'd be pretty sweet to actually experience your world firsthand…Seriously, though, Sparky, are you gonna be alright?"

"Of course," Loki smiled, attempting to mask his peeved reaction to the nickname. Focus! The god thought firmly to himself. He had a job to do, as he kept reminding himself. He also had to remember that he was not himself, but his brother. And while he—Loki—was the sort to rather receive attention, letting others confess their attraction to him, his brother was the opposite; his brother was quite the flirt. 

His eyes quickly scanned over Tony's person, lingering for a moment on the arc-reactor glowing through the dark shirt stretched across his chest. Loki considered the qualities that gave the genius his infamous sex-appeal: effortlessly handsome, with a confident swagger in his step; His dark grin and very demeanor suggested he could get what he wanted when he wanted it. However, Loki knew that behind those deep, piercing blue eyes was a man of many insecurities brought on by deep internal wounds; he was a man of self-loathing.

Loki watched Tony's face redden slightly under the rapt, exuberant gaze he was being given. "Another drink!" He cried suddenly, eager to break the increasingly awkward silence and a little too hurriedly going to open another bottle.

"S-so…" He said, shakily filling two clean glasses, and lifting them to bring one to his guest. "Why exactly did you— _Shit_ you've gotta stop doing that! When'd you start getting so sneaky?" 

Loki had once more shown up at Tony's side, causing him to slosh drink over his hands from being startled. Tony turned around and stared resolutely into his eyes, which were currently a brilliant blue.

"Would this have anything to do with earlier today?" Tony asked. "I figured we had put it all behind us." 

Loki was silent for a moment as he accepted the glass that was being handed to him. He sipped this one slower, for dramatic effect. During this time, he really observed Tony's figure. In his normal form, he'd only be taller than Tony by a couple of inches, but under the guise of his brother, he towered over the man by almost a head. With this new height, he could see how his brother would think that everyone around him looked small in comparison. 

Nonetheless, he smiled widely, which was surely strange on Thor's face. "I have not." He said softly, "In fact, I have thought about it even moreso." He reached around Tony and set the glass down, thereby closing the distance between the pair of them, almost pinning the dark-haired to the table behind him. "I would even be so bold as to suggest that the thought lingers in your mind as well."

Tony tried to smile back through his shock at this unnerving proclamation. "Y-you don't say?" He muttered, eyes darting to the side, looking for an escape. A second powerful arm was placed on his other side, rendering him completely immobile…unless, that is he chose to strike out instead, which would be very foolish given his situation. Instead, he opened his mouth to speak once more, yet words were hard to come by. 

"I…I think you're…great, Thor," He said slowly, shuffling slightly and glancing at the gap in the arm to his right, contemplating the possibility of fitting through, "A-and we've been through hell together…but…don't you think this is a little awkward? I mean, with me being…well, _me_ —and you're, like, _Disney_ -level good…I dunno…but, please stop staring at me like that."

Loki refused to break his avid gaze; his plan was working, although it was taking a bit longer to woo the proclaimed playboy than he anticipated. However, he found the chase most thrilling. He relished in the fact that he was causing Tony such discomfort, and he'd bend the stubborn fool's will until it broke. He was confident it wouldn't take much longer.

He raised a hand to touch the side of Tony's face, to which the man ducked out of the way, stepping backward quickly. Loki, however reached out and grabbed the man's arm to keep him from getting too far.

"You sure you're not drunk?" Tony asked quizzically, looking thoroughly flustered by now, "I'm pretty loaded already, sure, but there's something definitely different about you, and that's the only reason I can come up with. I mean, shit, you even look a little different... _neater_ , I'd say.""

"I'm no different than I ever was," Loki lied once more, pulling Tony closer. He glanced at their reflections in the windowed wall across the room, then back at Tony. "Well…" He added as an afterthought, "Perhaps my high spirits are showing through in my appearance…do not try to pull away." His grip went to Tony's shoulders, so that they were once more facing each other, but this time there was no table to brace upon. 

"You said that you would like to experience my realm," Loki continued lowly, holding Tony's clenched fists to his chest, much like his brother's done to him so many times. He leaned in so his lips brushed against Tony's ear. "Well…what about experiencing the touch of an Asgardian? I assure you it's a very fair trade…one you won't so hurriedly forget." He laughed softly, feeling the man before him tense.

"I'll give you this, I'm pretty sure that if I were a woman, my knees would have buckled." Tony muttered, shivering as a pair of lips lightly brushed the skin of his jaw and neck, light facial hair brushing against him. "You're not going to give up, are you?"

"Not in the least."

"I'm going to have to open another bottle, then."

It didn't take too much longer before the liquid courage really set in; the two were entangled in a sort of vertical wrestling match, practically devouring one another's mouths, tongues clashing. They swayed from the force of their bodies pushing against one another's, as each seemed to be in a sort of competition for the lead; their clumsy attempts at finding proper footing caused their feet to become entangled, and both men went crashing to the hard floor. 

"Somewhere with a bed, I think…" Tony suggested with a pained expression, as he had fallen roughly onto the base of his spine. 

"I would agree," Loki responded, gathering himself from off of Tony, convinced that his left elbow was going to yield a nasty bruise by morning. But he had to admit; now his plan would move on a little more swiftly. See, he actually wanted Tony—

"In my room?" He asked suggestively, helping the dark-haired man to his feet.

**

How they made it to the hall outside of Tony's room was a mystery and quite the miracle, as the alcohol seemed to really kick in midway through their journey causing a tremendous drop in Tony's motor skills and cognitive abilities. Needless to say, he became quite vulgar and made quite a few lurid suggestions that were both shocking and intriguing; a few that they had indulged in along the way. A trail of clothes could be found between the lab and Tony's room.

Tony stumbled against the wall, letting a stream of throaty laughs fill the hall as he pulled Loki against him. Loki felt rough hands gripping him by the hips tightly in Tony's desire to create as much friction between them as possible, as he began to grind.

"In here," The impostor whispered, tilting his head toward the door. 

"I can't see," Tony hissed as they entered through the door, "How 'bout some lights?"

"Shh, you're blind-drunk, so visibility matters not," Loki murmured, "And this," He indicated the arc reactor dimly glowing blue on the two of them, "Sheds enough light." Silencing any further protests with a heated kiss.

The god had minimal struggle getting Tony on his back, admiring his willingness. He felt a rough hand brush clumsily against his lips and the side of his face followed by a lazy laugh. He was jerked down with negligent force, but with Tony's mouth pressed urgently against his, it was quite hard to focus on feeling insulted. 

After all, what would his brother think once Tony confronted him about their carnal knowledge of each other? Of course, the pathetic oaf would eventually find out the truth, but the strife it would cause beforehand would be worth it. Besides, what's the worst that Thor could do? Isolate him again? Also, what would Thor do to Tony?

He had to admit (and he had a slight feeling it wouldn't be the last time), that he was surprised at Tony's virility, stamina and skill. The man really did live up to his reputation, and Loki found that he may soon begin to tire before the Iron Man's amorous hunger was sated. 

And speaking of that hunger…the god felt an impertinent hand press against the back of his head, urging him downward. Loki did as he was bid, but felt a flash of mutiny as he did so. He was slowly getting bored, and was ready to complete his task. He had, after all, been thoroughly satisfied already, and his present actions honestly only reflected his need to wrap things up, rather than personal pleasure. 

His kiss-swollen lips skimmed slightly chilled flesh, making a downward trail. His mouth met with swollen flesh, and his tongue ghosted teasingly across the tip. A hand gripped his hair, while another coaxed the stiffened member between his pliant lips. 

** 

Loki was pleased with how it had all ended: with Tony simply passing out with his arm across his forehead. The poor fool had no idea that there wasn't even anyone lying by his side. However, staying under the illusion of his brother for as long as he had, and the steamy events that accompanied had taken more out of him than he had realized. He felt horribly dizzy, slightly queasy and weak. He desired sleep. He'd wake up early refreshed, so he could enjoy the falling out that was bound to happen between his brother and Tony Stark.

He found his brother's bed. The television was on, but the hulking god was dead to the world. Thor barely moved when Loki eased under the blankets next to him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Tony come face-to-face the next day. Thor's reaction was nothing at all what Tony expected.

" _Tony Stark, you fool of a man…_ " 

Tony thought he heard the god of thunder whisper, feeling the breath ghost the skin of his neck. He didn't much care for the tone…it seemed a little too jeering, even for Thor. Unfortunately he was so exhausted that even lifting his eyelids seemed a chore. Besides, his excessive drinking was beginning to take a turn for the worst, and he didn't think that anymore movement would aid in settling his souring stomach. Sleeping off the rest of his buzz quickly became the number one priority before finding the nearest empty container took that spot, which could easily fail miserably.

"You already got us off, so how 'bout getting _off_ of me." He mumbled, allowing his mind to find its way into slumber's welcoming embrace. He barely registered the cool chuckle as the added weight pressed against him was alleviated. Actually, he had groaned a "Thank God!" in relief, not caring if the man who had thoroughly bedded him was offended or not. After all, there was a big difference in having two-hundred pounds of pure muscle pressing against him, as opposed to having a soft-yet-durable hundred-and-twenty pound curvy nymph pressed into his sheets. 

At the moment, he didn't care about the consequences. He only cared about passing out for a good twelve hours. In fact, he pointedly refused any thoughts of what would happen once he woke up, and before long, he was rendered unconscious. He didn't hear the door quietly open, then close…

A weak sort of rattle woke Tony from his sleep. The room was still pitch-black, so that had to mean that he hadn't been asleep that long. Still, his mind was quite clear, and the rattling was even more apparent now that he was awake; actually, the noised seemed to come from his immediate right. The spot where Thor slept. 

"The hell kind of snore is that…?" He grumbled, turning his head to face the person lying at his side. 

By the faint light from the windows, Tony could make out the angular outline of Thor's facial profile, but it was clear as day that nothing could disturb the man's slumber…not even the oddly-shaped lump where his chest should be. At this, he sat bolt upright. He did not remember that being there; he more than knew that.

He threw back the covers without thinking twice, revealing what seemed to be a small cat, coiled tightly, and fast asleep. If it weren't for the large,pointed ears sticking straight out, the curled creature would've resembled a dark void gouged in Thor's bare chest that also happened to purr. 

Tony observed the cat for a moment, noting that its purr was quite weak and rather ugly…he never had much of a problem with cats, though he never got himself acquainted with very many, but this one bothered him. 

"Where did you come from?" He asked the cat, reaching out to stroke its smooth, jet fur. The least the little intruder could be was friendly, after all. 

But in a flash of claws and spitting hisses, Tony was snatching his stinging hand back, cursing the cat for a little bitch.

The cat, now sitting upright, glared at him with bright green eyes, whose pupils were dilated into full circles. It growled lowly, the sound menacing, as its tail flashed back and forth. Still, the cat did not leave Thor's chest, and the god it belonged to slept on peacefully. 

Tony swung at the cat, trying to frighten it off of the bed, but the stubborn little beastling merely swiped its claws and hissed again. He felt his temper flare.

"I'm gonna fix you," Tony threatened through gritted teeth, leaving the bed hastily. The cat responded by pushing its face against the edge of Thor's bristly chin and running his side along the jawbone before curling back in its original spot. 

In the time it took the cat to get comfortable, Tony had managed to throw a bag over its head and hoist it into the air. The cat immediately became motionless, but Tony didn't care. He strode to the door, opened it, and set the bag outside the door, which he then shut. 

He fancied the idea of waking Thor up with the tale, but when he turned to address him, he found none other than the cat back in its original spot. Again, he reached for the cat, only to be scratched. He saw that he had been bleeding from the multiple claw marks scratched into his left hand, but his right remained unbloodied. Still, the cat had to go. There was no doubt about that. He threw the bag over it once more, to which it went motionless. 

He sat the cat outside, this time shutting and locking the door. He didn't even have the chance to turn around before he felt a body press against his back, warm and strong. He felt lips press against the skin of his neck, followed by a tongue that tasted him. Something soft brushed against his ankles. He heard that rattling purr again. 

Before he could ask what it was that he felt against his legs, he was being hurriedly led to the bed. 

"Not what I had in mind when I thought of waking you up—but thanks for sparing me the trouble," He said as he was pressed against the mattress. Thor dipped down to capture Tony's mouth with his, but Tony held a hand up to stop him. "Where'd that cat come from?" He asked.

Thor grabbed Tony's wrist and pinned it down. "There is no cat," The god said. 

Tony made a noise of protest as Thor forced a wet kiss upon him; however, he could not move and the god ignored him. "Ugh, Thor, why?!" He moaned in revulsion as he felt a hot tongue slide up the side of his face and into part of his hair; his eyes squeezed shut and he shuddered involuntarily.

But right when he dared to open his eyes, he found he was staring up at a great copper-furred dog instead of a great, copper-skinned god. 

"Thor…?" He asked weakly, but it didn't take any time for the realization that that really was a dog breathing its hot, gross breath in his face. "What the fucking hell?!" He cried, pushing the dog off of him, only to find himself groping air. 

He tossed himself onto his other side, drew the blankets around his shoulders, and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it was all a dream. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, only to have his vision filled with the last person he'd ever hope to share a bed with.

A half-covered Loki lay next to him, unmoving. His eyes, wide and strangely blank held the same creepy yellow glow of a shadow-hidden cat's eyes. 

The feeling of fear-frozenness was over-ridden with the instinct to get as far away from his bed as possible, but he couldn't move. A pale arm was snaking its way across his chest, pulling him toward the body it was attached to.

"Tony Stark…you fool of a man…" Loki whispered, no, hissed in his ear. 

Their bodies were close now. He could feel Loki's slender hands pressing against him, shaking him. "Tony, please wake up." He said in Pepper's voice…

Tony felt his body involuntarily twitch, which brought his mind to a befuddled sort of consciousness. His eyes slowly blinked open, only to be faced with further darkness. His left forearm was draped across the bridge of his nose; while it blocked his vision from any potential threats of light shining in the room he was in, it was painfully stiff at the shoulder joint. He groaned as he stretched his arm out and allowed his eyes to adjust to his surroundings. 

"Did you have a rough night?" He heard Pepper's voice cut through his bleary fog. His head spun slightly as he attempted to focus on the woman standing by his side of the bed. The light shining from the windows suggested that it was early afternoon, but he still asked "Whattimeizzit?"

"After two," Pepper replied tunelessly, "Tony, what in the world did you do to Jarvis? I managed to pick up where you left off on fixing it, but it was still a pain I did not want to be bothered with on this busy morning."

"Did you get it fixed?" Tony asked, rubbing his eyes. He was aware of his nakedness by now, but was quite thankful that he was covered where it mattered. 

"Yes, but it's going to take a day or so for the system to recover and reboot—That's quite a lot of memory to bring back, after all." She added as Tony groaned his displeasure at waiting even further. 

He sat up, having to immediately throw a hand out to stabilize himself as his world swirled and shifted around him. He planted another hand to his face, squeezing his eyes shut, willing his mind to properly sort out reality. All in all, he honestly wished he hadn't have had so much to drink. He didn't expect to get quite as drunk as he did.

And then, like a ton of bricks, memories of the previous night had struck him. "Oh, fuck…" He moaned into his hands, cradling his head. "Oh, _fuck_!"

He ignored Pepper's impatient tutting as devastation washed over him; he had bedded a god…no, of course it was more than that, he had bedded a team-mate. What's more, the god had obviously ditched him after he had fallen asleep; who the hell does that?

"Where's Thor?" He asked impulsively. 

"I think he was in his room when I passed by it a bit ago. I thought I heard talking, but I suppose it's the TV. But that doesn't matter. You need to get up and monitor your system recovery." She gave the briefest of glances toward Tony's lap, "I'll give you some privacy to get cleaned up. I took the liberty of starting your shower for you." She smiled warmly.

"Thanks," Tony half-smiled in return. He watched her silently step briskly out of the room, gently shutting the door behind him. He felt that Pepper had been strangely easy on him, given the state of his entire computer system. It's a wonder word hasn't gotten out about it. 

Tony fought the urge to fall back against the pillows and fall back to sleep, wanting to pretend none of last night had happened at all. He edged off the bed, feeling a slight wobble in his steps as he made his way gingerly to the adjoining bathroom. Pepper had set his shower to imitate a comfortable rainfall, which was soothing against his incredibly achy body. He made the mental note to thank her at the first opportunity. 

He scrubbed away the stale scent of alcohol and man-scent from his skin, trying to remember the odd events of his dream. Most of the details failed to resurface in his mind's eye, being that he was never good at recalling whole dreams, but he did remember hearing hissing and seeing a pair of glowing yellow eyes. 

_It was probably a snake,_ He affirmed.

But his amorous encounter with Thor was not. This wasn't one of those situations where he kindly pays for the cab fare and sends the lady (or occasional gentleman) on their happily satisfied way; no, this was, as he had already reminded himself, a teammate with whom he had taken things too far with. 

He had no clue what to say to the man, or rather, what Thor would say to him. Would Thor remember? Tony thought, After all, he too had quite a bit to drink. Was sex with your comrades even common on Asgard? _If so, why didn't Thor say anything sooner—no, bad thought—Perhaps he'll act as if nothing happened, and we'll all just go about our business as usual. Yes, I like that idea more._

Though his stomach still felt a bit unstable, the shower had helped in clearing his head. He felt more alert, though now he was more aware of his situation. Still, he had to face Thor. He walked back into his room in nothing but a towel and noticed that clothes had been lain out for him.

Not long afterward, he made his way to his lab. He kept true to his word, and decided not to say anything unless Thor said something first, but with each passing moment, the urge to satisfy his need to know why mounted ever higher.

He made his way down the hall. His memory was quite blurry after leaving the lab, though he felt as if he could still hear Thor's heavy breathing in his ear; a sound that previously made his blood rush, but now made his stomach twist. He was unsure of whether he'd run into Thor as soon as he made it to the lab, but he was going to keep his mind focused on JARVIS until that time. 

He reached the door, finding none other than Pepper and Thor in the room. He glanced over at Thor, who was seated on one of the couches. The god gave him a small smile and slight nod of the head in greeting. He wasn't his jovial self, and Tony swore there was a knowing look in those blue eyes, but then again it could be his harried mind playing tricks on him. And for some reason, his mind recalled a golden dog. It seemed familiar, but in what way?

"Great, you're here!" Pepper said in relief, cutting Tony's thoughts short. This annoyed him, but he didn't let it show. "I was half afraid you would fall back asleep." She laughed.

"And I had half a mind to do so," Tony responded truthfully, walking toward the center of the room. He knew in his mind that he couldn't fully concentrate on JARVIS's recovery unless he was free of distraction. Also, there was no way he could hold such a thing in, and he felt very foolish for ever thinking such an idea would yield positive results. He'd probably drive himself mad in the end. And of course, he couldn't say anything in front of Pepper, and had to get her out of the room while he still felt inclined to speak his mind.

Tony smiled, masking his troubles. "And I want to thank you very much, Pepper, for helping me with getting JARVIS up and running again." He took Pepper's hand and began to lead her to the door. 

"Tony—I—I what are you doing?" Pepper stammered, "Don't you want to discuss what may have happened to the tower? This is very serious!"

"Over dinner, perhaps!" Tony said dismissively, holding the door open for her, "Oh, and thanks for the shower and clothes. Come, give us a hug." He pulled Pepper into a quick, one-armed hug, so quick that Pepper didn't have time to return it.

"You're welcome." Pepper said, mingled annoyance and bewilderment etching her words. 

Tony shut the door behind her, hating himself for being so short with her. He'd make it up to her, definitely. But now there was a certain god to contend with.

He turned, facing Thor across the room. Both sets of blue eyes locked. 

"Tony…" Thor began, standing, striding to meet Tony at the center of the room. "Are you well? You aren't the most chivalrous man, but this seems most unlike you." His voice was deep, regal, but thick with earnest concern. But it was also like nails on a chalkboard. 

Tony fought to maintain eye-contact with the man towering before him, but his eyes would automatically dart to the god's powerful arms and broad chest. The memory of being pressed and wrapped in such muscles made him involuntarily shudder. He tore his gaze away entirely, feeling his face grow hot.

"Thor, do you remember of last night?" He asked the space between them. 

"Last night?" Thor repeated. Tony dared to catch his gaze, and what he saw was guilt. Thor was playing stupid because he was ashamed of what had happened. Was he, Tony, ashamed as well? He had sent most of his life emotionally null, unaccountable for anything he had done to other people, so he wasn't entirely sure how he felt at them moment. 

Still the silence was far too awkward for Tony to stand it. He had to say something; seeing a man from legend so humbled was off-putting, even if he gained the slightest bit of comfort in his humility. 

"It's alright, you know." He said, trying to sound as honest as he could, but he felt his words empty and meaningless. However, Thor looked rather shocked, and was that relief he saw? This gave him some courage to continue.

"I-I'm as much at fault as you are," He admitted, feeling horribly uncomfortable with this showing of weakness. 

"Are you?" Thor asked quietly. "I have deceived you; took advantage, truthfully…"

This was all too much for Tony. _We've finally gotten this out in the open, so can't we just forget about it?_ Was what he wanted to say...or shout, but Instead, he found himself reaching for the back of Thor's neck. He pulled the God of Thunder down to him, but hands that practically took up his own chest halted the motion.

"What?" They both asked pretty much at the same time. 

"What is all of this?" Thor asked, cutting off Tony's further protest. He desired to wrench himself free of the god, but instead he stood there frozen, staring incredulously into bright blue orbs. 

"Do you have to make me say it out loud?" Tony growled. "Yes, it was weird…but it wasn't, y'know, bad or anything." To be honest, it was kind of fun, He wanted to add, but chose not to. 

Thor looked extremely confused now and perhaps a little afraid; he stepped back from Tony.

"Seriously?" Tony complained, "I'm over here reeling over the fact that I had sex with a Norse god, and you don't even remem—" He stopped and stared, frozen once more. "What the hell is going on, Thor?" He asked, his tone now turning dark and suspicious. "My computer's on the fritz, you had some odd encounter with me, and I have a very vivid memory of you that you don't remember…and why the hell do I remembering a dog when I look at you?!" He threw his hands up in frustration, turning away from the god. 

"Do you have anything to say?" He asked after a moment of silence, "Please say something!"

Thor heaved a small sigh, and then gave Tony a stern look. "It was Loki." He said gravely.

"Loki?" Tony repeated skeptically, "I thought you had him locked up with enchantments and such?"

"He has taken upon himself to torment me while here in this realm, but I do not think he means any serious harm—do not alert the others!" He added urgently. "They need not know…please."

Tony contemplated the pitiful god before him. The whole situation was completely fucked from the start. So many things didn't make sense, and yet they all boiled down to Loki.  
"Thor…I need you to explain to me everything you know. All of it." 

He listened while Thor explained the incident in the kitchen and the first meeting on the outdoor landing pad. The idea that Loki had taken his persona infuriated him to no end, and he was quite certain that Loki had not gotten his character right at all. But what pissed him off even more was the knowledge that all it took was a bit of magic to fry his entire system. As he talked about the encounter in his bed room, Tony had to bite back the urge to throttle Thor for not warning him sooner. It was quite difficult to do.

They got to Tony's part of the story. He spared Thor the final details, and merely explained about how long it might have lasted. The story ended with the realization that he, Tony, had indeed gained carnal knowledge of Thor's wicked brother, Loki. 

"I understand that I am to blame," Thor said, holding his hands out in surrender, "But I knew not that Loki planned to victimize you."

Tony felt completely betrayed and violated, but at the same time, he still didn't understand what he had to do with it. "Is jealousy really all it boils down to?" He asked wearily.

"I seem to feel that Loki wishes me to have fewer reasons to return to Midgard. Since you were the first person I sought out, Loki chose to target you first. Not quite his normal style, granted."

"Yes, since when has a mythological god used sex to gain their means?" Tony asked sarcastically, but then a thought occurred to him. "Why isn't he lurking around in the shadows or something?"

"Because he's asleep in my bed, presently," Thor answered ruefully, "This is merely an assumption, but I believe staying under guise for so long had drained him of some of his energy; the spirits didn't help, either, I'll wager."

Tony laughed unkindly, feeling a vicious sort of triumph. "Looks like Loki really did misjudge _Midgardian_ booze, then, didn't he?"


End file.
